There is no witty wordplay nor shocking truth in our title today, but that is quite by design – we simply did not want risk underselling Roman Mars, the maker of a radio show that covers architecture, design and cities at a level more than sufficiently clever to speak for itself. Below, we will share with you a hand-selected set of some of the most fascinating episodes 99% Invisible has aired to date. If you like what you hear, be sure to support the program on Kickstarter.

Roman Mars, host of 99% Invisible and Progam Director of Public Radio Remix from PRX, crafts artful stories that reveal hidden realities in the built environments around us and celebrate secret histories of seemingly ordinary spaces. Roman has 450,000 listeners on SoundCloud and has won praise from the likes of This American Life and RadioLab – two programs that this author has regularly compared to 99% Invisible (“It’s like RadioLab for design geeks”).

Today, from the lawless metropolis of Kowloon Walled City to the tame suburbs of the American cul-de-sac and beyond, we invite you to explore a series of compelling stories from this stellar radio show, with more links and information at the end of this article.

Kowloon Walled City – Den of Iniquity [Episode 66]

Kowloon Walled City, covered previously on WebUrbanist, was a lawless metropolis – a strange no-mans-land between (then) British Hong Kong and mainland China. “By its peak in the 1990s, the 6.5 acre Kowloon Walled City was home to at least 33,000 people (with estimates of up to 50,000). That’s a population density of at least 3.2 million per square mile. For New York City to get that dense, every man, woman, and child living in Texas would have to move to Manhattan.” Even with pictures, it is almost impossible to visualize – but listen to the above tale and it starts to come alive the same way a fictional city rises from the pages of a book.

Cul-De-Sac – Symbol of Suburbia [Episode 29]

The cul-de-sac once represented the American Dream, but has in the minds of many turned from a utopian ideal to a dystopian symbol of dead-end suburban life.  “When people critique cul-de-sacs, a lot of the time, they’re actually critiquing the suburbs more generally. The cul-de-sac has become sort of like the mascot of the suburbs– like if suburbia had a flag, it would have a picture of a cul-de-sac on it. Cul-de-sacs by definition aren’t well connected to other streets and they are far away town centers. For little kids, cul-de-sacs can be great, but they do have some real, quantifiable design flaws.” In the episode above, Roman and a guest explore the back and forth, exploring the evolution and alternating emphasis on urbanization and suburbanization, and changes in regulation that first allowed and are are now destroying these strange street layouts.

In and Out of LOVE – Skating in the Park [Episode 71]

Skateboarding enjoys a dubious reputation in most cities – some places are set aside for skateboarders in some cases, but many of the best impromptu skate parks (at least: from the perspective of skaters) are those that are forbidden. “Though its official name is JFK Plaza, the open space near Philadelphia’s City Hall is more commonly known as LOVE Park. With its sleek granite benches, geometric raised planter beds, and long expanses of pavement, its success as a pedestrian plaza is debatable. But it turned out to be perfect for skateboarding. As skateboarding culture grew in the 1990s, LOVE Park became a Mecca of the skating world–even though skateboarding was officially banned there.” Even if you hate having a skateboarder whip by you on the sidewalk, you may find yourself softening to their perspective as you listen to this episode.

The Pruitt-Igoe Myth – Urban Renewal [Episode 44]

Every urbanist knows the troubled story of mid-century urban renewal, but here is a particular story of a specific building that came to symbolize everything that was wrong with modern attempts to make housing projects of the future. “The Pruitt-Igoe housing project in St. Louis became most famous at the moment of its demise. The thirty-three high-rise towers built in the 1950’s were supposed to solve the impending population crisis in inner city St. Louis. It was supposed to save the urban poor from the indignities of the downtown slums that lacked natural light, water and fresh air. And for a short while, it worked. It was a housing marvel. But when conditions started to decline, everything got very bad, very fast. It got so bad, only two decades after it was built; the housing authority blew it up.”  The image of the building’s implosion became iconic, a symbol of endings – but was it the architecture, or was it larger urban-to-suburban shift and other demographic factors at work?

Sounds of the Artificial World – Digital Feedback [Episode 15]

As a radio show, 99% Invisible often offers insight specifically into the sounds of cities and everyday life – in this case: those little gadgets we carry with us and use so much of the time. From mysterious noises to ordinary devices, we take sound in our environments for granted – but many of these have been carefully designed. “Without all the beeps and chimes, without sonic feedback, all of your modern conveniences would be very hard to use. If a device and its sounds are designed correctly, it creates a special ‘theater of the mind’ that users completely buy into. Electronic things are made to feel mechanical. It’s the feeling of movement, texture and articulation where none exists.” In this episode, Roman talks with Sound Designer Jim McKee of Earwax Productions “about the art of designing organic sounds for inorganic things.”

The Accidental Music of Imperfect Escalators [Episode 43]

What is the sound of one escalator clapping? “Ever since the industrial revolution, when it became possible for products to be designed just once and then mass produced, it has been the slight imperfections and wear introduced by human use that has transformed a quality mass produced product into a thing we love. Your worn blue jeans, your grandmothers iron skillet, the initial design determined their quality, but it’s their imperfections that make them comfortable, that make them lovable, that make them yours.” Yes, as it turns out, the auditory emissions of broken escalators have fans, some who claim that like a fine wine their sounds get better with time.

Sound of Sport – Secrets of Sampling [Episode 38]

What you may never have realized in watching sports is that the natural sounds of the activity can be impossible to capture … so they have to be prerecorded, then replayed on cue during live coverage.  “If Dennis Baxter and Bill Whiston are doing their job right, you probably don’t notice that they’re doing their job. But they are so good at doing their job, that you probably don’t even know that their job exists at all. They are sound designers for televised sporting events. Their job is to draw the audience into the action and make sports sound as exciting as possible, and this doesn’t mean they put a bunch of microphones on the field. This episode of 99% Invisible is produced by Peregrine Andrews for Falling Tree Productions. It is an extract from a much longer, and really stunning doc called “The Sound of Sport.” So of all of those sounds you hear while watching the Olympics, many are faked on the spot by sound designers you are not even supposed to know exist.

But all of this is just a sound clip, a small audio sample. If you are interested in more, you should follow along on SoundCloud. Meanwhile, here are a few more episode suggestions to get you started. Get a sense of the Xanadu Effect, and begin to understand that bigger is not always better. Learn how one designer decided to make insurance sexy in What Gave You That Idea. In The Bathtub or the Boiler Room, follow someone with the boldness to enter any door that will physically open to them as they walk the halls of power in Washington, DC. Then, step back out into the city and explore The Arsenal of Exclusion – tools of urban planners, developers and designers to enhance or restrict access to public spaces.

Our thanks again to Roman Mars for helping this author (who has personally listened to every last episode) select personal as well as fan and staff favorites for this piece, and to his colleagues and partners helping make 99% possible, including Sam Greenspan and KALW San Francisco. You can become a part of the program as well by lending your support via the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter as Roman aims to make the show weekly in Season 4.

Body modification is a broad category that covers anything from socially acceptable ear piercings to culturally mandated circumcisions, but there’s a small niche in this category that involves the most extreme manipulation of the human body. Some trendsetters treat their bodies like a work of art and some cultures are simply handing down tradition, but all of the following examples are shocking in their own way, so brace yourself. Here are 10 shockingly extreme body modifications that aren’t for the faint of heart (or stomach).

(Images via arkangel666, qeana, renzo_dinali)

Society has become used to seeing angsty teens with bad tattoos, but as society’s boundaries broaden, those who push against the limits continue to pave the way for the rest of us. Technological innovations now allow for the insertion of silicone based implants that won’t affect the body’s normal processes, but stand out in a way that would be hard to match with any tattoo. From horns to clovers, just about any shape can be slipped under the skin.

(Images via janicesaucier and kevinspraggett)

Tongue splitting is incredibly painful and the resulting wound is in turns hideous and prone to infection. Once the tongue has healed, however, you’re left with something surreal: a tongue that works as two. Some find it hideous and disgusting, but nobody can deny it’s interesting to see such a mundane part of the human body transformed into something spectacular.

(Images via michellekfamilysafe, tattooedfolk, madeofchalk)

When one thinks of piercing, the first object that comes to mind is not typically a stainless steel hook, but to some, it is. Suspension requires that several heavy duty hooks attached to wires are pierced through the skin. The biggest danger here is that not enough hooks will be used… resulting in a tear. Suspension looks grisly, but is apparently much less painful than you’d expect. It’s a staple for any dark underground show.

(Images via jcvigi and catpeters)

Corset piercings are a unique twist on a typically benign adornment. A series of piercings are placed in two parallel rows down the back, side, or legs (or anywhere else you can think of), and a ribbon is woven back and forth to create a beautiful design. One can change the ribbon to suit the occasion, turning one’s body into an unusual and creative accessory.

(Images via Lemmy_Caution and haabet)

Scarification is still frequently used in Africa for decoration and to mark the passage into adulthood. Children have tribal designs cut into their faces, chests, and backs, in order to show they are man enough to withstand the pain without uttering a single noise. These marks help tribes identify friend or foe, and are considered aesthetically pleasing. The technique is slowly making its way across the globe, though scarification in the United States and Europe typically takes on a different aesthetic that involves more flat red scars, and less raised bumps.

(Images via mimik and chilombiano)

Kavadi is a structure held into place on a devotee’s body to venerate the Tamil god of war. There are several ways for believers to show their devoutness, from the mundane (carrying jugs of milk) to the more exotic (fire walking). Some choose a more extreme path and prepare for 48 days before their rites. These believers have over 100 metal spikes placed through their skin in a formation that allows the Kavadi structure to remain in place on their body.

(Images via bme)

Just as some people have an innate desire to become the other sex, some have the seemingly random desire to become an amputee. These people are often straight-laced in every other facet of their lives, but cannot escape the need to have a limb removed. Since no doctor will perform a medically unnecessary amputation, most of these people have to take things into their own hands (and garage). When the need becomes uncontrollable, a tourniquet is tied around the limb, and once numbness sets in, they begin cutting. Afterwards, they’re left with a sense of relief that is not shared by friends and family.

(Images via paulnaidu and whappen)

Even the most common forms of body modification can be taken to their extremes. In a world where 2-4 ear piercings are the norm, and then, mostly on women, people love to push the limits by piercing anything and everything they can. Some choose to pierce uncommon areas, such as genitals, whereas some decide that more is better, and shoot for the moon. The most pierced woman has over 1,000 piercings on her face alone.

(Images via mainlinenation, uihealthcare, ufl)

Teeth decorations vary and span from inlaid jewels to teeth filed to points. Some like to sharpen teeth to look more like a vampire, while others show their wealth by having them all coated in gold. In Africa, some tribes file teeth into points, and knock out others, to show the participant has made the journey from childhood to adulthood. Just as in scarification, it’s important for the child to show no pain.

(Images via rudiroels, allposters, aestheticsbodymod, nygus)

What looks like disfigurement to some, is the height of beauty to others. Members of the Mursi tribe in Ethiopia judge beauty by the size of a female’s lip plug. Girls begin placing plugs into their lips at a young age and slowly increase the plug size until the lip is stretched to a surprising degree. Women have to be careful not to increase the plug sizes too quickly, as someone with a broken lip will never find a husband. It’s thought this tradition began as a way to avoid having women stolen during raids by other tribes, as their members would not find the modified women attractive.

At these 10 abandoned casinos, the high rollers are laying low, the cards are all jokers, the wheel’s stopped spinning and the dice have all thrown snake eyes.

Penthouse Adriatic Club Casino, Croatia

(images via: Photography Jiriparizek, Yugoslavia Virtual Museum, The Basement Geographer and Geocaching)

The Penthouse Adriatic Club casino was the centerpiece (or should we say “centerfold”) of the Haludovo Palace Hotel, located on the Croatian island of Krk. Opened with great fanfare in 1972, the casino was the brainchild of Penthouse magazine founder Bob Guccione who invested a cool $45 million in the project. Perhaps he should have stuck to ventures of the soft-focus and soft-core nature.

(image via: kaskero de Viaje)

Rumor has it the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and his family vacationed at the hotel/casino at least once – his return flight to Baghdad was delayed because one of his sons forgot his gun under the pillow in his room. Good times!

(images via: Tomislav Mavrovic and kaskero de viaje)

In any case, factors including the rise of the internet and the Yugoslavian Civil War conspired to constrict the Penthouse Adriatic Club casino to the point where it was closed, neglected, used to house war refugees and finally abandoned.

The Overlook Hotel’s Casino

(image via: Niki Feijen)

“Overlook,” as in The Shining? That’s Niki Feijen’s story and he’s sticking to it. Feijen’s spectacular photos of The Overlook Hotel posted to his photostream include the one above, purportedly depicting its 12-years-abandoned casino. Black Jack was here, and blackjack was played here.

The Big Easy Casino Boat

(images via: Pop Up City and Gaming Floor)

Name regardless, nothing’s been easy for The Big Easy casino boat. The 238-foot long New Orleans-themed ship was built around a 30,000-square-foot casino boasting 23 gaming tables. One wonders if the wind and waves would affect the motions of the roulette wheel, the dice  or the slot machines… actually the question is moot because The Big Easy has spent much of its life unoccupied, dodging hurricanes, docked at various Florida ports.

(image via: Traveling Around)

Delayed by bureaucracy first, ferocious weather second and Chapter 11, er, eleventh, The Big Easy has been a sad story of fading dreams and fading paint, the latter unattractively accented by dust, rust and debris. It seems that banking on a floating casino in a region prone to devastating storms may have been just too much of a (removes sunglasses)… gamble. Yeaaah!!

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All Bets Are Off 10 Crapped Out Abandoned Casinos

Crime and punishment have been a necessary part of human society since we first began living in groups, and as long as laws have been in effect, there have been punishments to match. Whether torture was used as a form of punishment for crimes, real or imagined, or in an attempt to extract information, it’s truly frightening to see the creative cruelty spawned by the human mind. Here’s an exploration of 16 of the most cringe-worthy torture techniques and devices to ever come out of the haunted halls of human history.

(Images via jason.risley, keithc , rouleau, and Okinawa Soba)

In turns humiliating and painful, neck torture is an endurance test. While hooked into a neck device you’re unable to adjust into a comfortable position, while the very visible punishment announces your shame to the world. The cruelty of neck torture lies almost entirely within its side effects: Being unable to lie down, or lean back, or even lower your head without pain, prevents you from sleeping, or even eating, comfortably. This is a punishment that takes all your focus, and doesn’t let you forget for a moment what you did to get into this position.

(Images via dani drainpipe, party-service,and rouleau)

The Iron Maiden has an embrace anyone would want to avoid. Once inside the Iron Maiden’s conical frame, you’re unable to move because of dozens of steel points stabbing from every direction. An interrogator screams questions at you through a small hole, while poking you with jagged edges, or just leaving you for hours to stew in your thoughts. Just imagine the agony of standing stock still, with legs cramping and the heat of such an enclosed space drenching you in sweat. The sweet release of leaning back to take pressure off your aching legs wouldn’t be sweet for long.

(Images via Kafka Wiki, Ian Koh, aanda51406, and fatWacko)

Chastity belts were used as a preventative measure, to protect a Lord’s assets from being “tampered” with while he was out of town. It’s pretty clear that any attempt at infidelity would be a painful and futile exercise. Chastity belts are not a sign of great trust, and the silver lining of wearing this uncomfortable and embarrassing apparatus? Avoiding a worse punishment because of an imagined infidelity.

(Images via Auckland Gallery, geraldinha, zolla77, and kylz25)

Crucifixion is one of the most widely known forms of torture – a visible execution that was incredibly painful, and slow. One was nailed to a post, typically with limbs spread wide, and left in the elements to die. While being in a cage was not as immediately physically painful, the other effects were just as difficult. The nights would be cold, the days scorching hot, and chances are you wouldn’t be receiving any food or water. Cramped and huddled, you’d have to deal with the jeers of an uncaring populace every hour of every day.

(Images via DC, Kafka Wiki, and traed mawr)

Don’t let the decorative design of the “agonizing pear” fool you – it was incredibly painful. This device was inserted into uncomfortable places on the human body and slowly expanded to a terrible degree. An opposite tact was pursued by other punishments, which would target a victim’s sense of shame and social embarrassment rather than destroy their will by pain alone. A heavy iron mask would do just the trick, as it would be both uncomfortable and unseemly, but also impossible to hide. The masks were crafted to look goofy and invite mockery, letting the perceptions of others do all the work for the torturer.

(Images via irandefends, New World Encyclopedia, and GraniteGrok)

Ropes are easy to make, easy to find, and easy to use to inflict terrible retribution on others. A victim could be tied to a tree and left at the mercy of the populace, hanged at the gallows as a form of entertainment, or dealt with in an even more horrifying fashion… some victims would have a rope attached tightly to each limb, with the other ends attached to horses. When those four horses were spurred to a gallop in different directions, the victim would be torn instantly asunder.

(Images via Guildford Ghost, eoscatchlight, and Baden-Powell BSA)

This is arguably the most creative of the tortures in this list, and it involves an animal that many consider torture enough in its own right: rats. A cage with one open side was strapped against a victim’s body, and filled with large rodents. A heating element would be set against one side of the cage and rodent instincts would kick into action. In an attempt to escape the intense heat, the rodents would burrow into the victim, with fatal results.

(Images via k’telontour and roma.cintilante)

Saws were common farming tools and could easily be put to use as an implement of torture. When something designed to slice through a thick tree is used against fragile human skin and bone, there’s no contest. Death would come quickly, but it would be about as unpleasant as possible. This is not the way you’d want to go.

(Images via benrosen.com, Headless Historicals, and Christian Character)

The stocks are a favored prop in theme parks and historical areas, but they were not a treat for people placed in them. Stocks can constrain you by your head, hands, and legs, or something as simple as your thumbs. The physical uncomfortableness was definitely a factor, but being left at the mercy of the population was the true punishment. In a land without television, throwing stones and rotten fruit at people stuck in the stocks was one of the most popular forms of entertainment.

(Images via ogeli13, lirontocker, and dmertl)

The rack was typically an interrogation tool, and anyone would spill their guts to escape its pull. Both hands and feet would be tied to opposite ends, and the rack would slowly be spun to pull you in different directions. The addition of spikes on the rollers could be an added threat, but all in all, the stretching would be painful enough on its own.

(Images via Marsee Perkins, Making the Modern World, and Medieval Castle)

Thumbscrews are elegant in their simplicity, and incredibly effective. Screws would be tightened around a steel apparatus, squeezing one’s thumbs with increasing, and unbearable, pressure. The torturer doesn’t have the guilt of blood on their hands, but the victim will attest that thumbscrews are no walk in the park – especially if spikes are added to the mix.

(Images via DC, zuzana24, socyberty)

Skull and limb crushers are thumbscrews kicked up several notches. Basically vices with spikes, they would be shaped to conform to the targeted limb. Rows of sharp points would be ratcheted to higher and higher pressure, until something had to give… and bone breaks before steel.

(Images via jabulela, cope0021, and Stephanie)

Torture chairs are a decoratively intimidating addition to any dungeon. The chairs were layered with spikes on every surface, and had tight straps for restraint. Most chairs were made of iron and would contain spaces for heating elements beneath the seat. These chairs were an effective beginning to an all night torture session.

Nothing brings people together like a gigantic party, especially if it’s got a bizarre theme like roadkill, bugs, testicles or tomato throwing. People convene in massive numbers for some pretty crazy things, from rolling cheese down a hill in England to covering themselves in mud from head to toe in Louisiana. These 15 parties are some of the craziest in the world with millions coming together to indulge in strange culinary delights, engage in exhibitionism and forget about real life for a while.

Roadkill Cookoff

(images via: Road Kill Cookoff)

There’s a whole lot of perfectly good, entirely free meat out there, and you don’t even need hunting skills to acquire it – just peel it up off the road. The annual Roadkill Cookoff takes place in Pocahontas County, West Virginia every September and features dishes with enticing names like Rigormortis Bear Stew and Thumper Meets Bumper. They also crown a lucky Roadkill Queen every year.

Rio Carnival

(images via: theage.au)

It may just be the biggest and most outlandish party on earth. During the four days before Lent, real life comes to a screeching halt in Brazil to focus on the three pillars of Carnival: samba, women and beer. Female dancers push the public nudity envelope in barely-there costumes festooned in sequins and feathers, leading a massive parade of the 14 schools of samba, with each school wearing a different type of costume. Other events include street processions and masquerade balls.

Louisiana Mudfest

(images via: LouisianaMudfest.com)

The Louisiana Mudfest may or may not be the South’s biggest party, but it’s definitely the dirtiest. Off-road vehicle enthusiasts love nothing more than to go ‘mud riding’, and this festival draws thousands of 4×4 owners and their families to play in over 300 acres of mud.

La Tomatina Tomato-Throwing Party

(images via: WebEcoist)

From WebEcoist: “Once a year, tens of thousands of tourists gather in a town in Spain to hurl over one hundred tons of overripe tomatoes … all in just one hour. When the festival is called to a halt fire hoses are used to clean the streets as well as the participants. For this brief but amazing food fight the size of the town quadruples, drawing visitors from all over the world to participate in the largest spaghetti sauce bath of all time.”

Testicle Festivals

(images via: 2camels, Gadling.com)

People who live in Montana tend to have a “waste not, want not” philosophy. So, why would they throw testicles away and give up all of that delicious, boneless protein? At least 15,000 people share that outlook, heading to the Rock Creek Lodge outside of Clinton every year to “have a ball at the Testicle Festival”. Bull testicles, also known as Rocky Mountain Oysters, are peeled, marinated in beer, breaded and deep-fried.

A few states away in Illinois, there’s a somewhat smaller, but no less strange annual homage to genitals: the Turkey Testicle Festival. 1200 pounds of deep-fried turkey balls sell out completely every year. One brave culinary explorer claims “they look like little popcorn shrimp, and they taste like chicken.”

Burning Man Festival

(images via: Declan McCullagh)

Burning Man, which takes its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy, is held every year at the end of August in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, drawing some 50,000 people to the remote area for “community, artwork, absurdity, decommodification and revelry”.   To attend Burning Man is to temporarily step into an alternate world where clothing is optional, weird is normal, there’s always something new to try and wildly artistic creations are everywhere you look.

Holi Festival

(images via: Newshopper)

For hundreds of years, Hindus in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and other countries have welcomed the arrival of spring with a “festival of colors” celebrating the escape of a Hindu figure named Prahlada from death by fire due to his devotion to the god Vishnu. On the main day of the festival, called “Holi”, participants throw colored powders and liquids at each other, which were traditionally made from medicinal herbs that fight viral fever and cold.

Flash Mob Pillow Fights

(images via: Piccadilly Wilson)

On March 22nd, 2008, the largest pillow fight in the history of the world took place in 25 cities across the world including Boston, Copenhagen, Dubai, London, Shanghai and Sydney. Worldwide Pillow Fight Day was the first “international flash mob”, organized through social media, email, texting and word of mouth. 5,000 people participated in New York City alone, pounding each other with pillows and releasing millions of feathers into the air.

A Valentine’s Day flash mob pillow fight in San Francisco created such a mess, officials plan to crack down on participants in the future.

The Love Parade

(images via: Berlin-life.com, Wayfaring.info)

It started as a political demonstration for peace through love and music, organized by the Berlin Underground in 1989 four months before the Berlin Wall was demolished. Over the years, The Love Parade has grown into one of the world’s biggest outdoor dance parties, drawing millions of people from around the world and spurring similar events in other cities. The focus of the events is electronic dance music including trance, house and techno.

Hadaka Matsuri

(images via: WeirdAsianNews)

It’s cold in Japan in the middle of winter – but that doesn’t stop thousands of men from donning loincloths, soaking each other with water and fighting each other for the chance to catch one of the ‘shingi’, wooden sticks dropped among the crowds that are said to bring one year of good luck. The men are kept warm on the frigid January night by each other’s bodies and lots of sake.

Bugfest

(image via: Raleigh2)

Insects aren’t creepy – they’re just misunderstood. At least, that’s what Bugfest organizers hope to convey as they entertain crowds of people every September in Raleigh, North Carolina with bug-related displays, exhibits, activities and “delectable dishes”. Samples of buggy dishes are free, so fill up on scorpion taquitos and deep-fried grasshoppers.

Cheese Rolling Festival

(images via: BBC News)

Every year near Gloucester in the Coltswold region of England, thousands of people convene to roll a round of Double Gloucester cheese down a hill and chase after it. Though the goal is to catch the cheese, that rarely happens considering it can reach speeds of 70mph; instead, the first person to cross the finish line wins. Nobody knows exactly how the tradition started, but people are certainly willing to injure themselves for it, coming down the hill with broken bones and concussions.

Kanamara (Big Metal Phallus) Festival

(images via: NowPublic)

Since the dawn of human existence, there have been fertility rites centering around phallic objects. Modern Japan carries on the tradition with ‘Kanamara’, the Festival of the Steel Phallus. Revelers sit astride gigantic wooden penis models and hug them for good luck, carve phallic symbols out of daikon radishes and walk around sucking on phallus-shaped lollipops. The festival is centered around a local penis-venerating shrine where prostitutes once prayed for protection against STDs.

Spamarama

(images via: Photolulu)

People really love potted meat products. In America, annual odes to Spam occur in both Hawaii and Texas, and both include coming up with as many variations of Spam-themed dishes as possible. Hawaii residents consume five million pounds of Spam every year – that’s six pounds for every man, woman and child. Waikiki’s Spam Jam drew 20,000 people last year to consume Spam and buy Spam-related merchandise.

In Austin, Texas, Spamarama expands on that idea with ‘Spamalympics’, a Spam cook-off and a Spamburger eating contest.

Eye Gazing Parties

(images via EyeGazingParties.com)

What can you learn by staring at someone in silence for three minutes? According to Michael Ellsburg, who came up with the idea of  ‘eye gazing parties’, you can gain an unspoken connection with a stranger without the distraction of superficial conversation. At eye gazing parties, an even number of singles meet up in bars and restaurants and switch off staring at one another. Once the staring part of the party is over, people can talk to each other and exchange contact information.